Upper Clatford Bridges

2022

Upper Clatford, an attractive village a short distance to the south of Andover, has three interesting bridges.

Church Bridge

This a small cast iron arch bridge carrying Church Lane over the River Anton. The castings were produced very locally by Taskers (Tasker and Fowle) in 1843. It is unusual for the fact that the centre pier is a vertical cast iron plate. It is an elegant and economical design, which could be quickly asssembled on site. The 16 cast iron ribs locate in sockets cast into the central plate and the abutment plates. The outermost ribs are slightly fancier than the inner ones, and incorporate the bosses which locate the handrail pillars.

1843 'New Iron Bridge at Upper Clatford. Apart from the general inconvenience experienced in passing through the deep water of the river Anton, from Andover to Upper Clatford, the public will be glad to hear that a substantial iron bridge has been erected over the river, near the church, 37 feet in length, including the abutments, and with the road 12 feet in width. It has a neat and light appearance, and is from the foundery of Messrs. Tasker and Fowle, of the Waterloo iron-works. Much praise is due to John Rawlinson, Esq., the Rev. Edw. Frowd, and Mr. Lywood, for the interest they took in the undertaking, and the very handsome manner in which they contributed towards defraying the costs the bridge, in addition to their proportion as ratepayers. ....'

Garden Bridge

This is a small iron footbridge, presumably in a private garden. It was made by Taskers in 1840. See Historic England entry.

Railway Bridge

A short distance further west of the iron bridge, Church Lane passes over a brick-built bridge (strictly speaking, a viaduct). It has 13 main arches, plus several small transverse arches in some of the piers. Looking over the parapets on the south side, it is not immediately obvious why the bridge is there at all. However a partial explanation comes from the presence, close to the parapet on the north side, the remains of a railway signal (unusual in having a post made of railway lines), signifying the former presence of the Andover and Redbridge Railway lines. The railway followed the course of the former Andover and Redbridge Canal. The track bed now serves as a minor watercourse. The non-railway-related arches appear to be on private land.

The presence of the other arches reflects the fact that the road crosses a water meadow and a tributary of the River Anton.

The bridge, or at least that part over the railway, was built c.1861. The track was originally single line, broad gauge, and opened in 1865. The line was doubled in 1885.

See Also

Loading...